This story is a retelling of sorts of The Scarlet Letter. Ivy is a teenage girl that becomes pregnant by her highschool boyfriend. Her family doesn't approve and wish to adopt the baby out. Ivy runs away to a cult. The cult is ran by Joel a puritanical leader. Ivy has a daughter Mia. Mia is raised in the cult and isn't allowed to read or even have a personal relationship with her mother. The cult believes that children don't belong to any two people but to the whole community. Mia is never content and knows she wants more from life. She starts sneaking off to the library to read novels. She falls in love with The Scarlet Letter which she has so much in common with... The second half of the book is a time travel between her world and Nathaniel Hawthornes world. This book is a quick read. I loved the idea of it and most of the story plot. I feel some feminist ideas of the book overshadowed the plot and could have been left out with the reader still coming to the same conclusions on their own. I enjoyed the brief history of Nathaniel Hawthorne but also thought this overshadowed the story in some ways. I would say read it for yourself if you're a book lover. It isn't Alice Hoffmans usual novel but I think it will be much appreciated amongst readers.

I was thrilled when Netgalley & Simon & Schuster gifted me an ARC of Alice Hoffman's lastest novel, The Invisible Hour. I have loved almost every book that Alice Hoffman has written and this was no exception. Her brilliant storytelling & characterization hook the read from the very first paragraph. Add some magic and time travel and you have a book that I did not want to ever end. Many of the issues tackled by Mia and her mother, Ivy, the 1950's & 60's, are issues that are again threatening women's right to decide what is right for them and their bodies.

If you have read any of Ms. Hoffman's books, you already know you will love this one also. If you have not yet had the pleasure of reading her books, this is a great place to begin.

I normally enjoy Hoffman quite a bit but The Invisible Hour didn’t quite connect with me. While I have come to expect some level of magic in Hoffman’s books there is usually more build up so the magic doesn’t come out of left field. Well, welcome to left field. The first parts of the novel, while often disjointed in their own ways, were rooted in reality so the magical part felt far fetched and confusing rather than integrated. It wasn’t a home run for me but it would definitely appeal to anyone with a deep love of Nathaniel Hawthorne and “The Scarlet Letter.” While I read and enjoyed The Scarlet Letter and I love anything Salem witch trials related, the far fetchedness of the third part of the book just alienated me from the book as a whole.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advance read in exchange for an honest review.

I love all of Alice Hoffman's books, and The Invisible Hour is no exception. It's another journey toward self-discovery, magic, love, heartbreak, and the wonder and power of books. Mia, the main character, lives in a repressive community/cult in Massachusetts where books are forbidden. She escapes, however, into a novel written two hundred years earlier--The Scarlet Letter--and sees a way forward. Don't miss this one.

I’ve read several wonderful books lately about books and readers and the impact of the written word to alter a life’s path. The Invisible Hour is one of these. In it, a young girl finds solace from her cult life through forbidden books. After her escape, her life is shaped by one in particular, The Scarlet Letter.

I was deeply moved by the first portion of the book, and then in the second half were some delightful and unexpected surprises. I recommend this book to fans of Alice Hoffman and those of us who identify as book people.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for offering this book in exchange for an honest review.

"I was at the library. That was when my life began."

This book might best be described as atmospheric. It definitely has a dream/nightmare quality that looms throughout.

Like every reader who has ever escaped into a book, Ivy amd Mia will definitely feel familiar. It seems like everyone is obsessed with Massachusetts. However, this book's connection to The Scarlet Letter makes it distinctive and different.

Although this isn't going to be my favorite Alice Hoffman, it certainly stands on its own.

"Luck can be many things, and she carried her luck with her, she carried it in a book."

I was over the moon when NetGalley approval came for this book. Alice Hoffman never lets me down. I LOVED The Invisible Hour. True to classic Hoffman style, its full of magic. I was swept away and not ready to say goodbye to this book. I finished the last page a few days ago, but I haven't been able to start another book yet. I need to sit in The Invisible Hour a little longer. Don't skip this one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Alice Hoffman, and Atria for the advanced digital copy.

I was thrilled to get an early copy of the invisible hour from Netgalley. I’ve always loved Alice Hoffman’s magical New England and read her books quickly, always wishing for more. This was no exception. When a book is centered on books, I’m in heaven Thank you to Atria for the advanced copy.

I’ve got to say that this is the very first time that I haven’t absolutely loved one of Alice Hoffman’s books. It was just a bit too disconnected for me and I didn’t get the zing I usually get when reading one of her books.

That’s OK though, don’t let my lack of zing stop you from reading it. I’m still a fan and am ready for her next book…because I know we can’t all love everything every single time.

A young girl secretly checks books out of the library and sneaks them into the cult like commune she lives. She breaks from the cult into the world because of books. Women’s choice ms haven’t expanded as much as one might think and hope. Alice Hoffman always has magic.

This book was very interesting and not what I expected. It was a story I’ve not experienced before.
The rioting was great brining up So many emotions and being sickened by what this girl was put though by her “father” & their religion. Thank goodness she had a great brain, thoughts and the librarian.
I’ve recommended this to a few people that I know will enjoy the JourneyAlice takes them on.

It is Alice Hoffman, so of course there is magic, this time in the form of time travel. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. The first third of the book was riveting. Ivy and Mia captured my heart. I was less enchanted by the subsequent two thirds. Hester’s story, ivy’s story and Mia’s story overlapped like a Venn diagram. The female characters were strong. The male characters, less so. Alice Hoffman fans will appreciate her beautiful prose.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62919793

I loved this book and Hoffman is edging into my favorite author list. The magic of books is captured lovingly through a young girl who secretly checks books out from the library and sneaks them into the cult like commune she lives in. The love of literature comes from her mother and the mother daughter bond is highlighted. With magical transport, the story delves into the fantasy of the reader. The components and characters work well, hitting on the threat of censorship in today's political climate. A favorite!

Provided by the publisher and NetGalley

Thank you to netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the ARC!

I love Alice Hoffmann’s writing and I was pleasantly surprised when I realized there was some relation to the characters from magic lessons.

This story was sad, haunting, and full of redemption. Unfortunately I didn’t connect to the characters as much as I would have hoped but I still enjoyed their story, the books, and the mysteries within.

This book is wonderful (and so much better than The Scarlet Letter)! I was already a fan of Hoffman’s after reading The Museum of Extraordinary Things, but this made me a bigger one - I loved the character of Mia and how powerful the written word is to her. Her world was so vivid, and I didn’t want to leave it when I put the book down.

While this was beautifully written, the pacing was a bit too slow for my taste, and the plot didn’t make much sense to me. This is a great read if you’re a fan of The Scarlet Letter, however.

I was lucky enough to win an e-ARC of THE INVISIBLE HOUR by Alice Hoffman in a Shelf Awareness giveaway. Thank you for the early look, and have a safe and happy summer!

Thank you so much for the ARC NetGalley. Alice Hoffman can do no wrong. The Invisible Hour is book full of magic and a little time travel. What more do you need?! It's the story of a young girl born into in a cult. Who breaks free wanting to enjoy both the world and books. But both are banned. The story is told in three parts and is pure magic.

Part historical fiction part magical realism, Hoffman has a real talent for creating atmosphere that emotes.

A more detailed review to come closer to release date on mg bookstagram.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced readers copy all opinions are my own.

I enjoyed the story of Mia and her life in the Community. The section on Nathaniel Hawthorne was a bit too long and not so interesting. It all came together in the end for a magical tale.